Portable woodworking power tools of the router type have been used in the past for performing various cutting actions on workpieces. However, conventional portable power tools of this type are limited as to the shapes and locations of cuts that can be made in a workpiece. For instance, the conventional router cannot have the rotatable routing tool thereof mounted above the support surface over which the portable routing tool is moved. The operative positions of the routing tool are limited to the space about such a support surface. Bench mounted, radial arm routers are required for cutting above a support surface and such routers are oftentimes too expensive for the home hobby shop. A need therefore exists for an improved portable, motor driven power tool which will perform all of the ordinary functions of a conventional router and also perform the tasks previously accomplished only by the use of an overhead, radial arm router.
Representative U.S. patents in the field of portable power tools with routing tools include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,035,845 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,111,969 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,207,193 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,212,541 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,479 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,454,061 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,747 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,394 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,494,395 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,811,361 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,487,046 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,225.